As part of a broader expansion program, RZM Murowa, a subsidiary of RioZim, has announced that it intends to commission a processing plant next quarter at its Murowa diamond mine, located in Mazvihwa, south central Zimbabwe, that is expected to double its production capacity.
The firm has stated that the project is expected to increase its output from 190,000 tons of ore per month, to 500,000 tons and will see operations transition from open cut to underground mining.
The commissioning follows the announcement in April this year that RZM Murowa intends to invest over $450 million into the expansion of its Midlands province operations, with the current phase of the expansion program expected to cost $52 million, extending operations at the Murowa mine by four years. Construction of the underground mine is expected to cost $400 million.
Wilson Gwatiringa, spokesperson for RioZim, said, “it is a massive investment that bodes well with the Government’s vision to grow the sector.”
As part of its Vision 2030 plan, The Government of Zimbabwe intends to increase mineral exports to $12 billion by 2023, with gold projected to account for $4 billion, platinum with $3 billion and chrome, iron steel, diamonds and coal each contributing $1 billion, while Lithium and other minerals are expected to contribute $2 billion.
The globally ranked RZM Murowa mine is one of Zimbabwe’s largest exporters and generators of foreign income. The firm produced 568,222 carats in 2020 and intends to increase production to more than 1 million carats per year by 2025.
